Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Wirtschaftsdemokratie: Der Fall Hoppmann

Abstract

Concepts of industrial democracy were widely discussed in Germany in the 1920's, particularly by trade unionists and some social scientists. These concepts influenced the reconstruction period in West Germany after WW II. In this article the author looks at a company which introduced a far-reaching model of worker participation in the 1960's - one which went far beyond the legal framework of co-determination. Interviews were conducted in 2008 in order to evaluate the development and viability of the model. The economic and social success of the company prompts reflections on a further extension, as well as on the limitations of democratic principles in a 'socialmarket economy'.